


The Move

by TooLateToFall



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Gen, family stuff, pre-andromeda initiative, some minor spoilers (should be fine if you know literally anything about Ellen Ryder)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-11 12:17:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10464807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooLateToFall/pseuds/TooLateToFall
Summary: Or: The beginning of the EndSomething is definitely up.Scott and Alec talk about moving to Earth.Set pre-Andromeda, very minor spoilers.





	1. The Move

**Author's Note:**

> really love the Ryder family. It was my favorite part of the game. Thank you to Astermix for helping me figure this out and geeking out over the Ryders with me!
> 
> Hope you enjoy it. Any feedback is welcomed and appreciated. :)
> 
> EDIT: Planning to rewrite; stay tuned

Scott freezes, mentally cursing as the office doors slide open and those lights shut off with a snap. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_  He’d forgotten to check the office. _Of course dad was still awake. Idiot_. He watches as Alec strides towards him through the darkened kitchen and holds his breath, silently praying.

 

For a brief, shining moment, he thinks he’s in the clear; Alec walks right past him, and Scott lets out a sigh of relief.

 

Too soon, too loud.

 

Alec pivots, flicking on the lights, braced for an intruder; instead, his bravado fades to confusion as he spots his teenage son huddled sheepishly at the kitchen counter. “Scott?” The teen flinches, sinking further into his seat. “It’s late, what are you doing up?” There’s no heat in the question, but this is so unusual in and of itself that it makes Scott even more nervous. _So something really is up._  

 

“Couldn’t sleep.” He swallows the odd discomfort in his voice, aims for lighter. “Sara’s snoring’s keeping me up.”

 

The joke falls flat. He can see his father hesitating, mentally deliberating over whether to let it go or to push it. _Let it go_ , Scott thinks. _Just let it go. I’ll go to sleep now, just let it go._   He doesn’t.

 

Scott groans internally as Alec takes a seat at the counter beside him. If dad’s attempting to be fatherly, something is definitely up.

 

“Scott,” Alec intones, pressing for more. His voice is stern, but not his N7 badass voice. Still doesn’t help.

 

Scott sighs. “Sar and I overheard you and mom earlier.”

 

Alec freezes. _This wasn’t how this conversation with the kids was supposed to go- it was supposed to be over dinner tomorrow. Ellen was going to handle it, Ellen knew what to-_ “Are we really moving?”

 

Alec brain halts, full stop. _The move. They don't know about Ellen, just the move._ It’s better, but still not great.  “Maybe,” Alec admits. “It’s not set yet.” At the very least, they don’t have a place picked yet. They’re definitely moving though- Earth’s where Ellen can get the best care. Where she’ll have her best chance.

 

“It sounded pretty set,” Scott mumbles. Alec glances at him, but Scott’s focused on the counter in front of him. “Why didn’t you guys tell us? Its so sudden. School just started up again, why are we moving now?”

 

“We didn’t want to say anything until we were sure; didn’t want to worry you two,” Alec starts, then sighs.

 

Scott unease rises; Alec Ryder doesn’t sigh. He’s never heard his dad sound so exhausted. It’s late, but this sounds deeper. Something _has_ to be up. Shit. “If something were wrong, you and mom would tell us, right?”

 

There’s the slightest pause that makes the teen’s stomach drop to his toes, before his father says, “Of course.” Alec stands before Scott can pry any further, and places a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about the move yet, everything’s fine. You should be in bed, you have school tomorrow.” His voice says that this is the end of the conversation.

 

Scott mumbles an “okay” into his empty cocoa mug, and stands up. He can feel his father’s eyes on him as he puts the mug into the sink and walks towards his room. He can feel the gaze, watching for any cracks or questions, right up until the door slides shut behind him.

 

Scott paces for a moment, uncertainty gripping him. Outside, he can hear the lights turn off, and the hiss of his parents’ bedroom door. He crawls into his bed but he’s too nervous to sleep. _Something’s up, something’s up._

 

“Sara,” he whispers finally. Nothing. “Sar, wake up.” When she doesn’t respond, he throws a pillow across their shared room, nailing her in the face. She jolts awake with a grumble.

 

“ _what_?”

 

“Something’s going on with mom and dad.”


	2. The Disease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ryder twins learn why the family is moving to earth.
> 
> (Contains minor spoilers)

When Ellen enters the kitchen at 6:30 am and finds her twins waiting at the kitchen table, she knows immediately that she's walked into an ambush. That Sara hasn't left for her run and Scott is even awake are red flags, but the lack of bickering and laughter is even more telling. This isn't a can-we-go-this-party-or-borrow-some-credits type ambush, this is serious.

 

She hesitates a moment in the doorway, considers backtracking, but kids have already seen her.

 

Sara raises her chin in greeting, while Scott takes a sip of coffee to cover his nerves. "Mom," Sara starts, then stops short, uncertain how to begin.

 

Ellen takes advantage of her daughter's hesitation to attempt a lighter tone. "You two are up early. Big day ahead?" It falls predictably short.

 

She watches as the twins exchange a look, then Sara takes a breath and starts again. "Mom, we want to know what's going on with you and dad." Ellen instinctively glances back at the bedroom door. "Are we really going to move? Why didn't you guys tell us sooner? What's going on?"

 

"We don't want to leave the Citadel," Scott adds, "Its our home. The school year just started."

 

Ellen meets the barrage of questions with a placating smile, but it doesn't calm the teens at all. They're really doing this. They're having this conversation now.

 

"We'll explain." She turns, glances back at the bedroom door again. "Alec?" The three wait, frozen by the tension, as the Ryder patriarch joins them in the kitchen.

 

When he appears in the doorway, the twins are shocked by how thoroughly exhausted he looks. Defeated has never been a word they'd use to describe their father before, but now, with his darkened eyes and slumping shoulders, he's looking pretty damn close.

 

As their parents join them at the table, Sara sneaks a peak at Scott, eyes widening in alarm. He squeezes her shoulder in reply, trying to convey reassurance he doesn't quite feel.

 

Ellen is the first to speak, her voice gentle but matter-of-fact. "I've been going to a neurologist for a few weeks now- I didn't want to tell you two sooner, in case it was nothing, but..." Beneath the table, Alec's hand finds hers. "But the doctor found evidence of neural degeneration... And there's no way to stop it. It's terminal."

 

It's as though all of the air leaves the room. Scott pales. Sara opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

 

Alec's grip on Ellen's hand tightens, and Ellen squeezes back; it's not clear who is reassuring who. "I still have time left," she starts, reaching her free hand across the table; the twins immediately latch on. "That's why we're moving to Earth. With proper care..."

 

It could be years.

 

But it could also still be months.

 

The twins want to ask questions. They want to know what, and how, and why, and when, but it doesn't seem real. Ellen Ryder can't die, not like this. Their mother is perfect: indestructible. They can't lose her, not now, not ever. The very idea just seems so wrong.

 

"We're not giving up," Alec tells them, meeting their devastation with his usual obstinance.

 

Dad has done the impossible before.

 

They want to believe him.

 

But even Alec Ryder can't cheat death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Astermix for talking me through this. :) you're the bomb dot com.  
> All comments/feedback is appreciated.


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